Maverick's POV
"Your highness, I'm sorry but we couldn't find young Miss Jolene no matter how we search." A man told me when I leaned on the tree smoking cigarettes to get my mind off the thoughts.
The four teams that father dispatched - which consisted of 7 people each to look for Jolene in different parts of the cliff - finally came back after 3-4 hours telling me they found no trace of Jolene.
Maybe because I was used to the disappointment all day, I was numbed to the report.
"Your highness, I found a jacket." A man ran over holding a green jacket. I recognized it as the one Jolene hung when she was in the practice room.
The feelings I've been trying to hold all unbottled themselves and unite to suppress me. All of it seemed to tighten its hand around my throat.
The hand that held the cigarettes immediately went closer to my mouth, choosing to concentrate on how the cigarettes felt and tasted instead of letting the emotions overwhelm me.
Before I could say a word, another man rushed out holding a shoe, "My team couldn't find her except the shoe." The man explained.
My heart immediately skipped a beat. I knew that the possibility that Jolene is gone was more than the possibility that she was alive, but I just wanted to deepen the search so I would stop feeling guilty and I would tell myself that I did my best whenever my thoughts went back to today.
I wanted to yell at the men to search faster. To put in more work but when I saw all of them panting hard with a tired look, the words I was about to say were swallowed down immediately.
It's useless, isn't it? After all, I knew everything since the last place I was able to perceive her scent was the cliff but I never wanted to say it out because it would make it seem as if I'm a murderer.
But they're different compared to me, they've been on the search throughout today and they've tried to cover everywhere possible.
"Alpha, let's call it off. The search is useless. We'll only tire our men." I said loudly even though my heart was squeezed by pain and I was being eaten repeatedly by guilt because I knew that if it was not for me and my words none of this would have happened. Collin would still have his little sister. The bubbly Jolene would still be alive.
"Everyone team up!" My dad shouted after listening to my suggestions. I saw him sigh in relief and pride due to my words.
Perhaps he had that thought in his mind again; dad always told me that I have the ruthless and kind side an alpha should have and I knew when to extend both or when not to but if he knew what I had done…
"We'd call off the search since it's vividly known that we've lost Jolene." The alpha muttered the 'lost' part with sadness. "Let's go back for the parting ceremony," Father said and left after squeezing my shoulder.
I watched calmly as everyone left with a bitter expressions until Mrs. Lilian and Mr. Conan walked away from the search in sadness. They even appreciated my efforts which made something stab my heart.
Collin slowly walked toward me, he looked calm except for his bloodshot red eyes and clenched fist which revealed that he was far from a calm state. "Thank you, man." Collin's fist bumped me
"It's nothing. She's like a sister to me." I tried to stay in a steady voice even though I knew it wasn't
The way everyone kept thanking me even though I was the villain kept breaking my heart
"Are you okay?" I asked Collin and he suddenly kicked the tree in anger. Something he never did since morning. Because we are the only ones left, he dared to show his tantrums now.
"How can I?" Collin retorted in anger. "Jolene is always calm, sensible, and happy so there's no reason why she would suddenly jump down the cliff." He asked while gritting his teeth with anger.
My heart skipped a beat and I knew that my fear was revealed on my face that split second but Collin may brush it off believing that it was due to care, "What do you mean?" I tried to ask in a steady voice.
"No matter how I think it through, I kept having the notion that someone must have been behind Jolene's death. I swear to Moon Goddess that If it's exactly so and I later caught whoever did this to Jolene. I would torture that person no matter who they were before I strangle the person to death." Collin said loathfully and then stormed away which made all the strength in my body vanish.
Even though Collin is a beta, the hatred and the anger in his tone when he was talking about that someone who dared to hurt his sister sent fear down my spine I can't help wishing that Collin would never find out because once he did, it'd affect many things; my friendship with him, and the pack position.
My heart was a mess and I found myself sitting beside a tree for comfort. I reached out and threw the cigarettes on my lips away since it failed to give me comfort.
____
"Do you swear to love the pack and keep it safe as long as you are the alpha…" My father asked me with pride in his tone and I immediately replied, "I do "
Unlike how my father planned for me to be the Alpha within two days, it was shifted again to a week later because of Jolene's death.
Collin had refused vehemently to take on the beta's position because he was mourning his sister, but after a lot of begging, he finally agreed to be my beta.
"Did you swear to the Moon Goddess that you shall treat your pack right and with justice, and do you accept to be the alpha of Sharpedges pack…"
"I do."
The ceremony finally came to an end after a long time filled with happiness. I became the alpha that I dreamed to be but I lost my Luna.
And now I know how fucked I am because I can't help thinking of Jolene every time.
“Again, Jolene do it again” my father yells at me. I just finished sparring with one of the wolves in the pack and he won. I was getting better but this was one of the best I have performed. I got in my fighting stance and prepared to go again. This time I managed to knock him down and I could not help but shout for joy. “Good job baby girl, you did well in training today. I have good news. We are announcing your status as the next Lycan ruler tonight at a ball” my father tells me. I instantly become nervous and I think what if the pack refuse to accept me as their ruler? All these thoughts were rolling around in my head as my father and I were walking back to the royal house. “I know you were worried that the pack would not accept you but I promise you they will. You are the rightful heir and the pack has been waiting years for their princess to return home.” I nod “Father I know, I am just worried, I won’t be good enough. I do not want to disappoint you or mother.”…“I am proud
At the Sharpedges PackThe wedding of Maverick and Cynthia was beautiful. The pack was happy, they finally had a Luna. The newlyweds looked happy, though both were happy for different reasons. Maverick could not believe he had actually married someone that was not Jolene.The celebrations lasted the whole day, everyone was laughing, eating, and dancing, ignorant of the troubles soon to come. When it was time for the couple to consummate their love, they went inside.They undressed each other and made love for most of the night. Maverick looked down at his wife, he did not want what happened to Jolene to happen to her so he promised to try and love her the same way he has loved Jolene these past years.At the edge of the packTwo figures can be seen in the woods, they seem like they are celebrating their success, at least on of them looks like they are happy. “The wedding went on without a problem ad now you have a direct tie to the pack” “Yes, you have done an amazing job my love. Was
She sent a message to her mate through their mind link, “Why did you attack today? I told you not to attack until I was giving birth, then he would be with me and distracted.” She says angrily, “I saw an opportunity and I saw it, Cynthia. Do not scold me or you will regret it. She sighed, she knew she was trapped and if she spoke more, she would be punished. “We need to see tonight” he tells her. At the edge of the pack borders, Cynthia walks to meet her mate, Oliver. “Olly, where are you?” she whispers, “I am right here. What is the update on the pack right now? I heard there was an issue with the Lycan King, what did he want?” he asks. “It is a she actually, the Lycan King is a girl that we thought was dead.”“She was Maverick’s mate before I met him, now she is back, he laughed and hugged her and kissed her cheek when he saw her, although she slapped him. He has always loved her and I do not know what this means for me and the baby.” She tells him. He looks at her, she cannot rea
After Jolene and her parents left the pack, it was relatively peaceful, two weeks had passed and the sharpedges pack had let down their guard. Cynthia was one week away from her due date and was getting cranky. She was tired of the pregnancy and wanted the baby out of her so she could enact her plan.During the last week of her pregnancy, the guards reported sightings of rogues around the pack. “Rogues have broken past our defenses. They are more than last time Alpha. What do we do?” one of the guards asked. Maverick was ready for this, he had been angry for three weeks now.He had found out that Collin was in love with Jolene and that was why he punched him and told him to stay away from her, because he wanted her for himself. He was annoyed that someone would dare look at his mate and he wanted to rip him apart.Collin was still his beta but only spoke to him when it was pack business, he even refused to train with Maverick. The pack noticed something was wrong between the Alpha and
Jolene and her pack sneak up on the guards at each of their posts and kill them quickly to avoid them alerting anyone. They were sneaking into the pack so Oliver would not be alerted. By the time they had reached the training grounds, most of the rogues had been killed. Oliver heard the commotion and came to check what was going on, when he saw Jolene standing alone, he laughed. He thought she was just some stupid girl who tried to be brave, he would show her the error of her ways.He tried to attack her but she shifted to her Lycan, she was faster and stronger than him. It did not take long before she had subdued him. Her pack members had separated to deal with the rogues and rescue the prisoners. “Would you like me to show you mercy?” she asked him, “Yes, please. Who are you?” he pleaded like the coward he was.“I am the Jolene, Ruler of the Lycans, the Lycan King. Rightful Mate of Alpha Maverick
I wake up to see Maverick looking down on me and smiling, “Did you watch me sleep all night?” I ask, “No, I woke up five minutes ago and I like looking at you sleep. You are adorable when you sleep,” he replies. He has been so attentive since we started dating, I am happy but a part of me worries that he will hurt me again.I get up from the bed and head to the bathroom, “Are you not going to join me?” I ask him over my shoulder, I hear him getting off the bed and his clothes been thrown to the floor, I chuckle and turn to look at him, he is standing right in front of me, I look up at him, he grabs my face and kisses me, if not that he was holding me up, I would already be on the floor.“As much as I do not want this to end, we need to enter the shower now” I tell him. He looks down at me, hunger in his eyes, he lifts me up before I can even register what is happening and heads to
The day after the ceremony and my proposal, Maverick’s parents came to visit with my parents. “My darling princess, how are you feeling today?” my mother asked me with a teasing smile, “I feel like I am on cloud nine and the moon goddess has wrapped me in her embrace. I am happy,” I tell her. Maverick stands by my side with a smile, “I think we should sit down and start planning your wedding,” Maverick’s mother announces, we all take a seat.“How long do you want your engagement to be, Mave when you were engaged to Cynthia, you waited a year, do you want to do the same?” His mother asks, he looks at me, “No mother, I do not think I can wait a year to make Jolene my wife, Jolene what do you think?” he asks me, “I cannot wait a year either. Can we do six months? Will that be enough time to plan the wedding?” I ask them.“That should be enough time, between your mother and I, we should be able to get it done” his mother replies. I feel Maverick leave my side and I turn to face him, he is
When I get home, the house is empty, “Jolene, I am home,” I yell, I get no response. I wonder where she has gone. I try to send a message through our mind link but I can’t reach her. I start to worry that something is wrong with her. I try Collin, “Collin, are you with Jolene, I am trying to reach her but she is blocking me. I have been home for thirty minutes now and I have not heard from her,” “Maverick, do not worry she is with Val, she is fine, I will let her know you are looking for her,” he says but I feel like he is hiding something from me. I try to keep myself busy by cleaning up the house, we do not have any servants even though Jolene is royalty, we prefer our privacy. I do the dishes and vacuum the house. Once I am done, I take a shower and go to bed. When she gets home, she will wake me up.Back at Cynthia’s house, I turn to Collin, “Collin, what is wrong?” “Maverick just told me he has been home for thirty minutes and he was worried about you. He just left here, we saw